At thirty-four miles we arrived at the town of Kallakandi. Here we were tolerably well received by the sheik, or gadadoo, who seems intrusted with the government of a certain district of considerable extent. It appeared that he had only obtained intelligence of our approach a little while previous to our arrival, and was therefore flurried, and a little cautious and reserved in receiving us; but being acquainted with our object of overtaking Terrasso-weea, he became at once familiar, and informed us that he had occupied, with all his retinue, the very quarters assigned to me for the night.
We entered into conversation or palaver, which continued until dark. He seemed very intelligent, and had by his own account been at Timbuctoo, and gave exactly the same account of the place as the Mahomedan priest at Abomey, who stated he had accompanied Terrasso-weea thither. The sheik very kindly sent us two ducks of the Muscovy breed to cook for our supper, as also two yams and some corn, with plenty of good water. He again joined us after supper, seeming eager to obtain information. At length he proposed to retire, which was very agreeable to us, for we were very tired. He promised to call us early in the morning, to which arrangement he was very punctual, for certainly he aroused us some time sooner than we wished. This being market-morning, the town was all bustle.
Soon after we had been aroused by the gadadoo, we were visited by a band of singing women, who were accompanied by musicians, with instruments very similar to our German flute, made from the hollow cane and bottle-shaped gourds, with the pulpy part taken out and dried, with hundreds of human teeth strung together like beads, and loosely fastened like net-work over the gourd, which were shaken in the hand, keeping time to the other instruments used in the native bands of music: a similar instrument is used in Dahomey. Prostration on addressing a superior is common here, though they do not rub themselves with dust as in Dahomey or the Mahee country. I took a short ramble round the town and market-places, both the outer and inner.
Here I had an opportunity of observing the articles of commerce exposed for sale, which, however, differed very little from those I have already mentioned in other places. Smiths’ work is done here in a superior manner to most other towns I have visited. Axes and bill-hooks are made here; the axe is made to fit into the handle, instead of the handle into the axe, the crown or pole of the axe being made like a spike, and driven into a hole passed through the end of the handle. They are also excellent farmers. The weavers also display considerable taste in the manufacture of a peculiar sort of cloth I have not observed elsewhere but in Abomey.
Slaves were exposed in the outer market in great numbers, and early in the morning considerable numbers had changed owners. Sheep, goats, and oxen, are numerous, and very handsome. Horses are handsome also, but small, few exceeding thirteen hands high. Pigeons are numerous in this town, and are of various kinds. The vulture is common in all the towns in this country. The government may be said to be quite despotic, for though a certain power is pretended to be vested in the chief malaam, or minister, still every objection is overruled in acquiescence with the will of the sovereign.
Offenders against the laws are punished according to the estimated enormity of their crimes, by flagellation or imprisonment in irons, and labour in the fields; but all serious offences, such as those against the king, murder, and adultery with the wives of superiors, are punished by death and torture of the most barbarous description. Sometimes a pole, about six feet long, is prepared, with an iron hose fixed on the end of it; the iron being tapered to a long spike. This spike is made red-hot, and the culprit, being suddenly seized, is placed on his head with his legs or feet upwards. The spike, while red-hot, is passed into the lower part of his person and the bowels, and even to the crown of his head.[15] This mode of torture is only resorted to in cases of adultery with the king’s or malaam’s wives. Sometimes another mode of torture for similar offences is resorted to, equally barbarous and cruel—that of mutilation, and placing it in the mouth of the offender.
After promising to make a longer stay on my return, I marched from Kallakandi, this being the 31st of July, bearing N. 22° westward; during the day’s journey varying from 22° to 5°, 10°, 5°, and 12° degrees to westward. The country near the town was well cultivated. At seven miles we crossed a narrow river running eastward; and at twelve miles arrived at the town of Gooba. This is also a great market for the sale and purchase of slaves. Here salt is sold, but at a very high price, though of a very coarse and dirty description.
The town is governed by a malaam, named Dibo or Dibbo. He, however, is under the directions of the gadadoo of Kallakandi. The inhabitants of this town are about seven thousand in number, and seem a mixture of many tribes, which is easily detected by the cranium, independent of the particular marks or scars on the face to distinguish each tribe from the other. They seem to live in ease and plenty, having little trouble in cultivating the soil, which here produces four crops in the year of several sorts of grain.
We remained here only a short time, when, after making a present of a pair of small scissors for some water, with which we were presented, we resumed our journey. At fourteen miles, while crossing a swamp of no great magnitude, we were met by a number of women, heavily laden with different articles of produce for the market which we had just left. They were accompanied by several men, who walked in the rear. The women we found had been much alarmed a minute before, but seemed still more so at meeting me, some of the younger women endeavouring to pass into the thick impenetrable bush, which extended about half a mile along each side of the path. The men also seemed much alarmed, and the older of them, who were armed with bows and arrows, prepared themselves for an attack. However, they preferred submission, prostrating themselves as we passed. I requested them to rise, and after asking them how they were, they informed us of the extreme danger of passing any farther, till an enormous snake which they had just met should retire. They stated that this reptile had taken up his position in a large tamarind-tree, whence they said he had been in all probability compelled to retreat after a combat with a panther, which they said invariably practised one particular mode of attack. Whenever they come unexpectedly upon one of these reptiles, they pounce upon its tail, and thus prevent it from coiling itself round its prey. Then with its claw it secures the head, which is immediately brought round to release its tail. However, I never witnessed an attack of this sort, and must leave my readers to judge of the truth of this assertion. One of the party offered to go back and show us the enormous snake, and several others of the party volunteered their services also.
Accordingly we proceeded about six hundred yards, when we arrived at the velvet tamarind-tree, which they had spoken of, and which was thickly covered with leaves; but upon examining the tree we could not observe anything of the nature described. When I was just upon the point of accusing them of hoaxing us, one of them, who stood a little behind my horse, suddenly called out “waroo-waroo,” upon which one of my soldiers seized my bridle to pull my horse aside, and to my amazement the monster was pointed out to me with part of its body coiled round a bough, and its head and a considerable part of its body hanging down very near our heads.